The Wayward Journalist
by lindseyjo
Summary: Danny drops in to CJ for the first time in a while, and a...conversation...ensues.


One-shot: The West Wing. Spoilers from season 5 and on, I guess, but really just a little ficlet between CJ and Danny; Margaret cameos.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Dammit…

The Wayward Journalist

A knock sounded on the door to CJ's office. She didn't glance up from the report she was reading, but she called out an absent-minded, "Come in!"

Margaret opened the door and slid into the room. "CJ, Danny Concannon is here to see you. He doesn't have an appointment."

At the mention of the reporter's name, CJ's attention quickly focused sharply on the page in front of her. She took a deep breath and let is out quietly, then looked up at Margaret. "When's my next—"

"Ten minutes."

"Send him in, please."

Margaret opened the door further and gestured Danny into the office. She watched him sit down comfortably in the chair in front of CJ's desk as she closed the door.

"Nice office," Danny stated, taking in the changes since Leo's departure. "It's calmer in here than it was, I think. And congrats on the promotion, by the way."

CJ finally looked away from the report she hadn't been reading since Margaret said Danny's name. "Thanks. It's been like a year, but thanks."

Danny smiled at her, dimples showing faintly beneath his beard. "I've been out of touch, CJ, or you would have heard that from me a long time ago."

CJ snorted delicately. "Out of touch? I thought you'd actually dropped off the face of the earth."

"I was just—"

"Going where the story was, I know," CJ interrupted with a wave of her hand. "I know where the story was, and I read your articles to see how you were doing. Since I didn't hear anything else from you, it was the only way I could tell you were still alive."

Danny's smile faded at the bitterness in her tone, and he looked away. "The unit I was attached to was pretty far away from normal communications stations, CJ."

"I'm aware of that, Danny," CJ replied, gesturing to the door leading to the Oval Office. "They keep me pretty well informed about troop movements in here."

Danny's eyes snapped back to her face. "So you knew where I was the whole time and you knew I was fine. I figured that, and usually spent my comm time sending stories and calling my mom and my sister."

CJ met his look, her face void of expression. "I know. Your mom told me you were okay every time I called her, every few weeks."

Danny's jaw dropped. "You talked to my mother?"

CJ stood abruptly, pacing around the desk to the couch. She sat on one end and fixed her gaze back on Danny. "So how long are you back in town this time? Just long enough to shower, shave, and switch out computer batteries? Oh, and be sure to tell Janice I said hi."

"You talked to my sister, too," Danny stated angrily as he got up and walked toward the couch. He stopped just short of her toes, hands on his jeans-clad hips. "That's some nerve you've got, lady."

CJ looked up at Danny. His blue eyes were snapping with anger, and she took a deep breath to start calming him down. "Danny—"

"No, don't you 'Danny' me this time!" he interrupted her, turning away and walking toward the door. "I can't believe you, CJ! You went behind my back—"

"Your completely out-of-touch, non-communicative back!"

"—and talked to my family without my permission. The Chief of Staff of the United States of America kept _tabs_ on _me_, a reported halfway around the world, who should mean very little to this administration in the scheme of things. What right did you have?" he asked, whirling back around just as he reached the door.

CJ regarded his flushed face for a moment before she answered. "I needed to know that the man I loved was alive and well, and not just from a troop movement report."

For the second time in the conversation, Danny's jaw fell open. His mind went completely blank as he struggled to find something to say.

A light tap on the door broke the silence. "Yes?" CJ called.

The door opened just far enough for Margaret to poke her head in the door. "They need you in the sit room, CJ."

CJ nodded and stood up from the couch. "Please tell them I'm on my way down."

She walked back to her desk to retrieve a file folder and a pen. When she walked toward the door, she stopped briefly, cupping her hand to the shocked reporter's bearded cheek.

"I have always loved you, Danny Concannon," she whispered, brushing her lips across his and then pulling back to smile. "Will you be here when I get back?"

Danny smiled tentatively in return, eyes wide and his face glowing. He covered her hand with his. "I'm not going anywhere."

CJ kissed him quickly again and then walked out of her office. Her fingers slid from Danny's slowly, and he watched her walk away.

"Oh, and Margaret?" CJ called back laughingly over her shoulder. "Make sure that man in there doesn't touch anything."

Danny grinned as he walked to the couch and lay down to take a nap. Suddenly all was right in his world, and he fell asleep quickly under Margaret's watchful eye.


End file.
